BALTIMORE — After months of anticipation and trash talk, the wait is finally over.

The Ravens will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in what figures to be the most significant — and intense — season opener in the 16-year history of the franchise. While today’s outcome certainly doesn’t seal either team’s fate with 15 more games to play before the postseason, it will certainly have a lasting impact on who controls the AFC North in the early stages of the season in what figures to be a two-team race with Cleveland and Cincinnati lagging behind.

Baltimore has not beaten Pittsburgh in a game started by Ben Roethlisberger since the 2006 season when the Ravens swept the Steelers by a combined score of 58-7 in two games. This marks the fourth time these teams have met in the regular-season opener, with Pittsburgh holding the 2-1 edge. The Ravens are 7-8 against Pittsburgh in games played at home.

The Ravens are 7-8 all time in season openers but have won three consecutive and four of the past five. They’ve also reached the postseason in six of the seven years they’ve won the opener.

Pittsburgh leads the all-time regular season series, 18-12, and is 3-0 in the postseason against the Ravens.

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